New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Duesweetblust’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘Duesweetblust’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and early flowering habit; large light and dark red purple bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUESWEETBLUST’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duesweetblust’.

The new Impatiens plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact New Guinea Impatiens plantswith large and attractive flowers.

The new Impatiens plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2003 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selectionof Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number F-07-21, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Impatienshawkeri identified as code number N96-0575-053, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Impatiens plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens plant by terminal cuttings ina controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May,2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duesweetblust’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Duesweetblust’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Impatiens:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading growth habit;        mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   6. Large light and dark red purple bi-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more compact than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the female parent selection        differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the maleparent selection primarily in flower color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of New GuineaImpatiens ‘Kimpgua’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,429. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of thenew Impatiens differed from plants of ‘Kimpgua’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more compact than plants of        ‘Kimpgua’.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had shorter internodes than        plants of ‘Kimpgua’.    -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and ‘Kimpgua’ differed in flower        color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Impatiens plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Impatiens plant. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duesweetblust’ grownin a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany, in containersand under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-coveredgreenhouse with day and night temperatures averaging 18° C. and lightlevels averaging 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched three weeks afterplanting and were 16 weeks old when the photograph and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri ‘Duesweetblust’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number F-07-21, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number N96-0575-053, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly            spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit; freely            branching habit with about seven lateral branches; pinching            is typically not required; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 17 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 10 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 7 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls; simple.        -   Length.—About 9.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 3 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrulate with ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 139A; venation, close to 59A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 59A; venation,            close to 59A.        -   Petiole length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 60A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rounded and flat            axillary flowers; freely flowering habit; typically about            seven open flowers and flower buds per lateral branch;            flowers positioned above the foliar plane and typically face            upright or outward.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about five to six            days under greenhouse conditions; petals self-cleaning,            gynoecium persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Flowers are not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse            conditions; in the garden, flowering from spring until fall            in Germany; early flowering habit, plants typically begin            flowering about eight weeks after planting.        -   Flower size.—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 6 cm.            Depth: About 2.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 57A to 57B.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single            whorl. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 3.7 cm. Shape:            Obcordate. Apex: Emarginate; rounded. Base: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Color: When opening, upper surface: Ground color,            close to 74B; center, central stripes and banner blotch,            close to 66A. When opening, lower surface: Ground color,            close to 74B; center and central stripes, close to 46A to            46B. Fully opened, upper surface: Ground color, close to 74B            to 74C; center, central stripes and banner blotch, close to            66A; with development, ground color becoming closer to 74D            and center, central stripes and banner blotch color becoming            closer to 53A. Fully opened, lower surface: Ground color,            close to 66C; center and central stripes, close to 45B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an            elongated spur. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 5 mm.            Shape: Oval. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A. Spur length: About            4.8 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 3 mm; at apex, less            than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous. Spur color: Close            to 149A tinted with close to 58D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: Upright to outward. Strength: Moderately strong;            flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at            anthers; filaments free. Anther length: About 5 mm. Anther            shape: Oval. Anther color: Close to 155B tinted with close            to 61C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 11D.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            5 mm. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color: Close to 61A.            Style color: Close to 61A. Ovary color: Close to 187A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea    Impatiens.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate temperatures ranging    from about 5° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Duesweetblust’ asillustrated and described.